Expansible band, chain, or the like



March 5, 1929. c. H. KESTENMAN EXPANSIBLE BAND, CHAIN, OR THE LIKE FiledJune 9, 1925 Patented Mar. 55, lilZd.

llhll'lED STA ci-iAnL-ns I-I. KESTENMAN, or rnov nnnon, nn'onn ISLAND}iissrenon'ro tween KESTEN- MAN BROS. MFG. 00., OF PROVIDENCE, RHODEISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND.

Application filed June a,

This invention rel ates to improvements in expansible metal bands,chains, or linkages "for use in the manufacture of bracelets, necklaces,girdles, or other articles of jewelry and the like.

A principal object of the invention is to provide an improved article ofmanufacture of the type specified having closely associated articulatedlinks or chain-elements which are adapted to flex, one in relation tothe other, and to move longitudinally relatively to each other to allowexpansion in the length of the bracelet necklace, girdle, or otherarticle in which it is incorporated.

One object of the present in'iprcvement is to provide an expansible handor chain having ornamental pierced links or telescoping elements whichare so constructed and combined that the piercings or openings registerwithout obstructing the open eiiect when the links are in closedrelation.

Another object of the improvement is to provide a device of the typespecified. having resilient expansion means contained within the linksto normally maintain them in contracted relation, said resilient meansbeing protected and hidden irom'view by the enclosing links.

Another object of the improvement is to provide a device of the typespecified which may be manufactured from sheet-metal blanks struck up indies and assembled with a minimum of hand operations.

Another object of the improvement is to provide a device of the typespecified having a neater and more ornamental appearance and of strongerconstruction and less liable to be broken or damaged in use than othersimilar devices.

Further objects of the improvement are set forth in the followingspecification which describes several preferred embodiments ot theinvention as illustrated in the accmupanying drawings. In the drawings:

F l is a perspective view illustrating the general appearance of theband or chain and showing it with the links in contracted relation, butflexed in substantially circular form;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged bottom plan View showing several of the connectedlinks and illustrating two of the outer main links in section todisclose the resilient expansion means enclosed therein;

Fig. 3 is a side View ofseveral of the links EXPANSIBLE BAND, CHAIN; ORTHE LIKE,

1925. Serial No; 35,936.

with two of: the outer links illustrated in section on the line 3-3 ofFig. 2;

4c is a cross-sectional view taken on the line l4l of Fig. 2,' showingthe sliding arrangement between the outer main links and the innerconnecting links;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the under side of several of theassembled links and illustrating the manner in which the a perspectiveview of the outer or link or slide formed from this type oi? blank Fig.11 is a perspectiveview of theouter link adapted for use with the slideillus-' trated in Fig. 10;

Fig. '12 shows a still further modified form of the inner link or slide;and

Fig. 13 is a viewof the outer main link employed with the form of slideillustrated in Fig.12.

My improved band, chain, or linkage consists in general of a series ofmain elements or outer link-members 2 of box-like form, and relativelyflat inner connecting links or slides 3 which normallytelescope withinthe main linksbut are adapted to be drawn out or extended in relationthereto to provide for the extension of the band or chain as a whole.The main links 2 are openat the center along their under sides. and theinner connecting links orslides 3 abut the under side of thetopfportions oi the main links and are provided with lateral wings orflanges which cooperate with the. lateral sides of the main links toform housings for the compression springs which hold the links intelescopedrelation. Referring particularly to Figs. 4 and 6, the outermain links Qere constructed from sheet-metal, with relatively flat topportions et which are pierced with openings 5 to add to theornanientalappearance of the article in which the links are employed. Bent at rightangles to the top portion 4 oi"- the link 2 are the lateral sides 6which are folded over again to form bottom flanges 7 extendinglongitudinally of the link, see Fig. 4: which illustrates the main linkin section in inverted position or bottom side up. Bent up from thebottom flanges 7 at one end of the main link 2 are ears 9 which partlyclose the ends of the link except for narrow slots 10 under the topportion 4 thereof. At the opposite end of the main link 2 the bent ears9 are joined by a cross-bar 11. see F 5, which is adapted to receive ahook on the end of the inner link or slide to be next described.

Fig. 7 illus rates the QGl-IDQlfll blank from which the inner connectinglink or slide 3, shown in Fig. 8, constructed. The blank consists of arectai'igular strip 16 having a narrowed lab 17 projectii'ig from oneend which adapted to be bent around to form a hook 18, as shown in Fig.8. The

lank 15 is cut or sheared, illustrated in Fig. 7, to form two narrowstrips 19 which are bent at right angles to the main strip at pointsiniilicated by the dotted lines to form perpendicular flanges, as shownin Fig. 8. These flanges 19 extend longitudinally of the link or slide 3at a slightdistance in from the lateral edges thereof, and when theslide is telescoped within 7 the main link 2, as

shown in Fig. 4;, the flanges 19 cooperate with the bottom flanges 7 andsides 6 of the main link to form trough-like enclosures or housings fora pair of helical springs 20. Bent over from the end of the inner linkor slide 3 is a flange 21 against which the ends of the springs bear asillustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the opposite ends of the springs beingheld by the upturned ears 9 at the ends of the main link It will benoted by reterence to F 7 and 8 that the sheared strips or flange-5 1.9which are bent at right angles to the main portion of the slide 3 leavea loi'i 'itudinal bar 22 in the form of a rib or brace extending fromone end of the slide to the other. 7 it is also to be noted that thestrips 19 are sheared or cut away from the blank in such contour as toform notches 2i in their edges disposed centrally of their length, thepurpose of which will later apear.

It to be further observed that ween the inner link or slide 3 istelescoi ed within the main link 2.. as shown in Fig. 2, thelongitudinal openin'm in the slide 3, formed by shearing away andbending over the flanges 19, register with the pierced openings Z) inthe top of the enclosing link 2. On the other hand, the centrallongitudinal strip or bar 22 will underlie the unpierced portion of thetop of the link 2 so as not to be visible through the piercings 5.Through this construction and arrangement the assembled links arerendered pervious from top to hotenclosing main links 2 by entering themthcreinto before the bottom flanges 7 are bent over into place; thesprings 20 being .also inserted in their housings at the sides of themain links before the end ears or tabs 9 are bent over. Each pair oflinks asse1nbled in this manner is oined to the next pair by insertingthe hook 18 on the inner link into the slot in the end of the nextadjacent main link to hook it around the cross-bar 11. To engage thehook 118 on the slide 3 with the cross-bar 11 on the main link 2 theslide is withdrawn from the end of its enclosing link, and in performingthis opera tion the finger nail is inserted in the notches on the edgesoi the wings 19 to hold it in ended position. iVith the slide withdrawnand held in this manner the two sections ol the chain are carried intoangular relation, somewhat as illustrated in Fig. 5, and the hook 18inserted into the end of the next adjacent main link 2 and hooked aroundthe crossbar 11. hen the several links are connected in this manner theinner 3 or slides 23 will normally be telescoped within the outer mainlinks 2 under the tension of the compression springs 20. When the linksare in contracted relation as shown at the left in Fig. 2, the outermain links will be held with their ends closely abutting and usually theends are beveled or inclined inwardly from the top; that is, the sidesof the links are oi? substantially wedge-shape as shown in Figs. 1 and3, so that the band may be bent into circular form without leaving gapsor open joints between the links. To expand the band or chain along itslength the main links may be pulled apart, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and3, the inner connecting links or slides 3 sliding within the outer links2 to compress tie springs 20 as illustrated at the right in Figs. 2 andFigs. 9 and 10 illustrate a modification in the shape of the blank andin the construction of the inner link or slide formed therefrom. in thismodification of the invention the blank 25 is punched or perforated toform a rectangular opening 26 at its cen ter and the side wings orflanges 27 are sheared away and bent up from its marginal portions ateither side of the opening as shown in Fig. 10. ll ith this arrangementof the inner link or slide the PQFfOiihlODS or openings 28 in the mainlink are closer together as illustrated in Fig. 11 so as to be includedwithin the borders of the rectangular opening 26 in the slide to makethe link entirely pervious.

In Fig. 12 I have illustrated a still fur- Ill) ther modification of theinner link 30 as beiug loldcd or bent to form vertical flanges 31without shearing the blank from which the slide is constructed. That isto say, a single fiat strip of metal is folded to form an upstandintroughdike portion or box cxtendi g; longitudinaily of its center withside wings 33 which shut and slide on the bottom flanges T of the mainlink \Vith this construction of the slide the P s or l cars 35 are b tup from the side win l to take the tl. st of the sprii in. the mainlink. The troughdike port r oi? the slide is pierced or cut away alongthe center at 36 so as not to show through the perforations 37 in thetop of the main link Sat, these perforations being arrang; d closertogether as shown in Fig. 13. In this form oi: the device the end tabsor cars 9 on the main link are bent down from its top instead of beingformed as part oil the bottom flanges 7. lVith the modified forms of theinner link or slide as last described the parts'are. assemblcd in thecontinuous band or chain in substantially the same manner as firstexplained.

will be observed that myinvention provides a particularly simplestructure tor the band or chain, adapted to give a highly ornamentalappearance to the bracelet, necklace, girdle or other article in whichit is incorporated, while also rendering the same economical tomanufacture, and strong and durable in use, The piercing of the mainlinks enhances the artistic and ornamental appearance of the article,and the arrangement whereby the openings in the top of the main linksregister with those of the inner links obviates any distortion orobscuring of the design, while giving a particularly delicate andgraceful effect to the whole, lvloreover, the structural features of theband or chain are entirely hidden from view to avoid. a mechanical.appearance vhcreby to heighten the artistic effect.

Various modifications other than those herein shown may be made in thestructure and arrangementof the parts of the device without departingfrom the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limitingmyself in this respect, I claim:

1. lo a flexible b2 or chain, the combiuaiion of outer box-hire mainlinks having); sides bent oown from the top and flanges iolded inwardlyat the bottom thereof to form trough-like portions with cars closing thetroughs at their ends. slides slidable within the main links andprovided wth vertical flanges spaced inwardly from their sides andextending between the bottom flanges and top 01 the main links to formtubular housings, and springs enclosed in said housings and actingbetween the main links and the slides to normally hold the parts intelescoped relation.

2. In a flexible band or chain, the combination of a part-tubular mainlink having an opening extending longitudinally of its under side andbottom flanges at either side of said opening, a relatively flat slideslidable in the main link and provided with flanges bent at right anglesthereto and spaced ini'vardly from its sides to close the space betweenthe edges of the bottom flanges and the top of the main link to providetubular housings, and springs enclosed in said housings between theflanges on the slide and the sides oi the main link and acting betweenthe slide and the main link to hold the parts normally in telescopedrelation.

3. In a flexible band or chain, the combination of a relatively flatpart-tubular main link having a top, sides and bottom flanges extendinginwardly at right angles to the side with cars at their ends partlybridging the spacebetween the bottom flanges and the top oi the link, aslide slidable in the main link and provided with longitudinal flangesspaced inwardly from its sides to bridge the space between the top ofthe main link and the edges of its bottom flanges, means at the end oftheslide adapted to engage with the end of an adjacent main link, andsprings arranged between the flanges on the slide and the sides of themain link and acting between the slide and the main link to'normallyhold the parts intelescoped relation while allowing expansion of thechain as a whole. 7

l. In a flexible band or chain, the combination of a box-like main linkhaving a relatively flat top, sides bent at right angles thereto andbottom flanges folded inwardly fr m the sides with ears bent across theopenings between the top of the links and its bottom flanges ateitherend thereof, and one end provided with a cross-bar extending laterallybetween said ears, and a relatively fiat slide slidable in the main linkand having portions sheared therefrom and bent at right angles theretoto form flanges spaced inwardly from its lateral edges and cooperatingwith the top, sides and bottom flanges oi the main link to formhousings, said slide formed with a hook at one end adapted to hookaround tl cross-bar at the end of an adjacent main link, and springsenclosed within the housings and acting between the slide and the mainlink to normally maintain the parts in telescoped relation whileadapting them to be extended to allow expansion ofthe band or braceletas a whole. 7

In testimony whereoi I affix my signature.

CHARLES H. KESTENMAN.

